The trail is named after Hank Aaron, the Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder for the Milwaukee (and later Atlanta) Braves and Brewers, who hit 755 home runs and holds more major league batting records than anyone else. Aaron also set aside racial and cultural barriers during his career, and the trail seeks to emulate that by connecting diverse neighborhoods across Greater Milwaukee.

From the “Friends of…” web page: “The Friends of Hank Aaron State Trail is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing, promoting, and maintaining the Hank Aaron State Trail. The Friends of Hank Aaron State Trail is a is a local group of the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks.”